1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an enclosed paperboard carton capable of enclosing a number of containers, such as cans, which can be easily converted into a tray from which the containers can be removed one at a time with the other containers in the tray not being disturbed. This carton is provided with a zipper-like tear strip and an aperture into which a person may insert his or her finger to commence tearing the tear strip open. This tear strip is located where the bottom flaps in the carton overlap and is designed to be opened while the carton is resting on a side panel on which the ends of the containers have been placed. Once the tear strip has been opened, a lid is formed which can be opened and closed with a fold line in the top panel functioning as a hinge. The opening of the lid is not impeded because of the design of the ends of the carton.
A tear line can be provided in the top panel so that the lid can be completely removed from the tray. These same features can be incorporated in an enclosed carton for containing cylindrical containers, such as cans, which is designed to provide a tighter package by placing a diamond shaped corner panel formed by fold lines, between each bottom end flap and the bottom panel.
2. Background
Fully enclosed cartons capable of enclosing cylindrical containers, such as cans, have been used in the past that have a feature for dispensing the cans one at a time. Dispenser sections have been provided at various locations and with various features within these cartons depending on the design.
Trays constructed of different materials, such as plastic and corrugated paperboard, have been used in the past. These trays have sometimes been wrapped in shrink film to prevent the containers from falling out while the tray is being carried. Once the shrink film has been removed, these trays provide a convenient dispenser from which containers can be pulled one at a time. These trays are difficult to carry because they do not have a built-in carrying handle and it may be difficult to remove the plastic film from the tray to access the cans contained in the tray.
It is an object of this invention to provide a fully enclosed carton for carrying containers, such as cans, that can easily be converted into a tray for holding the containers which can be easily pulled from the tray one at a time without disturbing the other containers. It is a further object to provide a fully enclosed carton that can be converted into a tray that will easily fit between two closely spaced shelves in a refrigerator. It is a further object to provide a tray that has a lid that can be opened and closed. It is another object of this invention to provide an enclosed carton where the lid can be completely torn off and discarded. It is a still further object of this invention to provide an enclosed carton that can easily be converted into a tray by providing an easy opening feature for the carton. Another object is to provide a fully enclosed carton where the ends are closed but permit the top portion of each end of the carton being easily removed along with the rest of the lid.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide an enclosed carton that is easily convertible into a tray with both the enclosed carton and the converted tray being structurally sound to serve their function reliably. It is a further object of this invention to provide an enclosed carton that can be converted into a tray which has a handle for carrying the carton.
It is a further object of this invention to develop an enclosed carton in which cylindrical containers, such as cans, can be tightly packed with little wasted space, and still be converted into a tray that also satisfies the objects stated above.
The objects of this invention have been achieved by providing an enclosed carton for containing a number of containers, such as cans, that is easily convertible into a tray for dispensing the containers. This carton has a top panel, two side panels and a bottom panel formed from two bottom flaps which overlap a short distance. The carton has a co-extensive tear strip in the overlapped portion of the bottom flaps with a portion of the co-extensive tear strip being provided in each bottom flap so the co-extensive tear strip can be torn open across the bottom panel. A finger aperture may be provided to make the commencing of the tearing of the co-extensive tear strip easier.
Each end of the carton is closed by folding the bottom end flaps and top end flap inwardly and folding the side end flap attached to each side panel over the bottom end flaps and top end flap and gluing the side end flaps thereto. In order to convert this carton into a tray the side end flaps only abut each other or have slight overlap and are not glued to each other. The side end flaps are only glued to the bottom and top end flaps and not to each other. A cut or tear line may be provided in each bottom end flap that extends from the co-extensive tear strip to facilitate dividing the end of the carton into a lower tray and upper lid. Since the side end flaps on each end of the carton are not glued to each other, they are easily separated when converting the carton into a tray. A fold line may be provided that extends the length of the top panel about which the lid is hinged. A tear line may be extended from the top panel into the each top end panel to facilitate converting the carton into a tray so the lid can be torn completely from the carton.
This carton may have a handle in the top panel for carrying. A slotted handle is preferred, although other types of handles may be used. The consumer can carry this carton home in the same way in which many twelve pack cartons are carried. After getting home, the lid of the carton can be opened or torn off and the tray placed between two closely spaced shelves in a refrigerator from which a container, such as a can, can be pulled without the disturbing the other containers in the tray.
Preferably the bottom flaps are secured together by glue to form the bottom panel and the side end flaps are glued to the bottom and top end flaps to seal each end of the carton. An aperture may be provided for commencing the tearing of the co-extensive tear strip which can be located between the tear lines forming the co-extensive tear strip. A portion of the bottom end flap that will remain as a part of the tray can be allowed to extend above the tear line that defines the upper edge of the tray so that this portion of the bottom end flap serves as a guide flap over which the side panel on the lid on the same end of the tray can be guided into proper position for closing the lid. A smaller aperture adjacent to tear strip on the other end of the carton serves to permit the tear strip to be completely removed from the carton. A guide flap can also be provided on this end of the tray for guiding the lid back into the closed position.
This carton can be formed with the lid having a greater depth than the tray to make it easier to remove a container from the tray when placed between two closely spaced shelves in a refrigerator or pantry.
This carton may be provided with a tear line for removing the lid that extends from the end of the top end flap through its center and into the top panel and extends at an angle to a fold line between a side panel and the top panel. This tear line may extend along what otherwise would be the fold line between the top panel and the side panel and then turn into the top panel in the same way that it is placed on the other end of the carton and extend up to the center fold line and through the top end flap.
An enclosed carton for carrying cylindrical containers, such as cans, can be designed with the feature discussed above, but which permit the carton to be more tightly packed. This is achieved by basically placing a diamond shaped panel in each corner of the carton so this diamond shaped panel more closely follows the cylindrical surface of the adjoining can and eliminates the empty square corners in the carton. Explained in more detail, the diamond shaped panel in each corner of the carton is formed by a pair of triangular panels that diverge away from each corner. For example, a triangular panel that diverges away from a corner formed by the intersection of the top panel, adjacent top end flap, and adjacent side panel meets an identical triangular panel formed in the corner with the opposite side panel. A pair of triangular panels meet each other near the center of the top panel between the top panel and the top end flap on each end of the carton.
A pair of triangular panels that diverge away from a corner is formed between each end of the bottom panel and the bottom end flap and adjoining side panel of the same configuration as each pair of triangular panels formed between the top panel and top end flap.
The enclosed carton with diamond shaped corners also has a tear strip in the portion of the bottom end flaps that overlap to form the bottom panel. Because of the presence of the pair of triangular panels on each end of the bottom panel, the tear strip extends through a triangular panel on each end of the bottom panel into the adjoining bottom end flap. A pair of tear lines may be extended into a side end flap that forms a part of the lid of the tray to facilitate opening the lid of the carton. An aperture may be provided in the side end flap between these tear lines extending into the adjoining bottom end flap to commence opening the tear strip.
The carton with the diamond shaped corners may be provided with a tear line for removing the lid that extends from the end of the top end flap through its center and through the diamond shaped panel and into the top panel and extends at an angle to a fold line between a side panel and the top panel. This tear line may extend along what otherwise would be the fold line between the top panel and the side panel and then turn into the top panel in the same way that it is placed on the other end of carton and extend up to the center fold line through the diamond shaped panel and the top end flap.
It is readily apparent that either of the side panels could serve as the bottom panel of the tray and the other side panel be torn away as the lid in either of these embodiments.
This carton can be constructed by gluing, taping, stapling and the like, or by locking. It is preferred that this carton be glued. These and other objects, features, and advantages of he present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.